On March 8, Lexington High School’s Red Cross Club, the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA), and the National Honor Society (NHS) collaborated to host a blood drive for students and faculty. The event marked the first time the Red Cross Club’s blood drive has been hosted at LHSsince the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sarah Finkelman, a senior and leader of the Red Cross Club, highlighted how a singular donation can go a long way toward saving the lives of others who critically need blood.
“We were able to collect 25 units of blood. Each unit can save about three people, meaning our blood drive on March 8th could save around 75 people,” Finkelman said.
Finkelman believes hosting blood drives is especially important right now given the ongoing blood shortage. According to the American Red Cross, the number of blood donors in the United States hit an all-time low over the past 20 years.
“Blood drives can help patients with cancer, premature babies, burn victims, and many others. They are also a good way to improve team spirit and volunteers are able to get to know one another better,” Finkelman said.
The blood drive required months of preparation, including arrangements with Principal Andrew Baker, Dean Nicole Caniff, and others.
“To make the March 8th blood drive happen, I started a conversation with the school and the Red Cross Club early on in the year and was able to secure a day,” Finkelman said.
To ensure the blood drive had enough volunteers, Finkelman and the Red Cross club started advertising to prospective donors, organizing logistics with the custodians, and gathering volunteers from various service clubs at LHS.
“We ended up being able to collaborate with HOSA and NHS for the blood drive. As the blood drive approached, we started advertising for blood donors. I also talked with the custodians about what needed to happen and what we would need to make the day run smoothly,” Finkelman said.
Not only did the blood drive help provide resources for those in need, but it also helped volunteers and donors form a stronger bond with one another.
“I really enjoyed getting more involved in the community and meeting people who have similar interests,” Matthew Chen, a sophomore at LHS who volunteered at the drive, said.
